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214 CALIFORNIA SOLAR INITIATIVE PROGRAM

Each of the preceding service providers administering the CSI program have Web
pages that enable clients to access an online registration database and provide program
handbooks, reservation forms, contract agreements, and all forms required by the CSI
program. All CSI application and reservation forms are available on the CSI Web page.
The principal object of the CSI program is to ensure that 3000 MW of new solar
energy facilities are installed throughout California by the year 2017.

CSI Fund Distribution

The CSI fund distribution administered by the three main agencies in California has a
specific budget allotment that is proportioned according to the demographics of power
demand and distribution. CSI budget allotment values are shown in Table 8.1.
The CSI budget shown in Table 8.1 can be divided into two customer segments,
namely, residential and nonresidential. Table 8.2 shows the relative allocations of CSI
solar power generation by customer sector.
The California Solar Initiative program budget also allocates $216 million to afford-
able or low-income housing projects.

CSI Power Generation Targets

In order to offset the high solar power installation costs and promote PV industry
development, the CSI incentive program has devised a plan that encourages customer
sectors to take immediate advantage of a rebate initiative that is intended to last for a
limited duration of 10 years. The incentive program is currently planned to be
reduced automatically over the duration of the 3000 MW of solar power reservation,
in 10 step-down trigger levels that gradually distribute the power generation over
10 allotted steps. CSI megawatt power production targets are proportioned among the
administrative agencies by residential and nonresidential customer sectors.
In each of the 10 steps, CSI applications are limited to the trigger levels. Table 8.3
shows the set trigger stages for the SCE and PG&E client sectors. Once the trigger
level allotments are complete, the reservation process is halted and restarted at the next
trigger level. In the event of a trigger level power surplus, the excess of energy allot-
ment is transferred forward to the next trigger level.

TABLE 8.1 CSI PROGRAM BUDGET BY ADMINISTRATOR

DOLLAR VALUE
UTILITY TOTAL BUDGET (%) (MILLIONS)
PG&E 43.7% $946
SCE 46% $996
SDG&E/SDREO 10.3% $223